Anna

It's not so much about the traditions of men but more about not stumbling someone, the principle of which Paul spoke about in 1Cor 8:13. "That is why if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat at all, so that I will not make my brother stumble". Some communities really have something against beards, and others do not. Therefor it is up to the elders in each congregation and country to discern if a brother wearing a beard could somehow stumble someone, whether a JW or not. As Space Merchant said, a lot of it is down to culture and also down to respect for others. JTR shaved his beard off to make his dad happy. Nothing wrong with that. It's all about unselfishness really, and putting the other persons interest first. That is a Christ like trait. 

Just piping in here. You might think it's an insulting question, but who taught you the TRUTH about the Trinity and hellfire? I sure know it wasn't any of Christendom's religions....

@Anna Likewise the culture and customs for some, reasons why what is done in countries that is unknown to majority of outsiders, be it British folk, Americans, etc if done in the UK or America is is seen as normal.
That being said, I had short dreadlocks for a long time when I was very young into the age of 12, I chose to point them. One of my biggest problems was my hair always got in my eyes. The only good thing about the ridiculous amount of biotin in my system is I do not have to worry about going bald, as some around my age, 20s, are suffering from. Sadly even, I see women with this issue of baldness. Either genetics for some or high levels of D.H.T. (Dihydrotestosterone) byproduct. I do have a beard though, but it is very short, and at times, I do choose to cut it, if in my father's country in some parts, if I visit, I do cut it due to culture reasons and to show some respect.

Biddy: Thanks for that.  It encouraged me a LOT .. and I am very hard to encourage.

I was baptized in August 1977 and the years from 1976 thru 1980 were the best years of my life because of the brilliant journey of discovery I was on learning about Jehovah and Jesus. These were the happyist years of my life and would relive them if I could. I thank Jehovah and bless that day in early 1976 when a sister dropped a tract into my letterbox because it changed my life totally.
I am still a witness.

... assuming wheels, and not high heels!

Moi?
I am stopped... you should see me when I gets t'rollin' !
I can out drag a Chevrolet.

To make a very long story very short, almost to the point of abbreviation .... and trying to stay on topic ....
In the past 57 years, I have been in the "little back room, Room 101", about 17 times, being "counseled" by Elders that did not like "something" about me ... that I worked a lot of overtime, that I rode a Honda 350 motorcycle to the Kingdom Hall, that I "refused" to provide a telephone for my wife,  ad nauseum ... and I REALLY HATE BULLIES! ... but I digress ... and about 8 or so of those times it was to get me to cut off my beard.  One time it was because of my mustache. During the 60's it was because my hair came down just perceptively below the collar.
In one congregation in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, I had no problem with the beard ... and even got a recommendation letter to go work at the Bethel Branch Office construction in Peru ... and in all others, I was castigated, and even forbidden to go out in Service until I shaved off my beard.
After eight discussions, and no valid scriptural reasoning, all joy in doing what I was doing was destroyed ... but it bothered me A LOT that stuff like this was being inflicted on the global Brotherhood, in almost EVERY congregation I had ever attended. 
If they could do it to me... they WERE doing it to other Brothers ... and things similar to this.
Based on all available real evidence, it seemed to me that in order to be a watchtower approved Elder you had to be qualified as follows:
1.) clueless
2.) petty
3.) irrational
4.be a "Company Man", through and through.
5.) and have no pangs of conscience whatsoever for being a bully.
To be fair, I have also run across Engineers and Doctors that shared these traits, but they did not operate in an environment that ENCOURAGED this behavior.
The other day I mentioned in a comment that I envied Anna, and she replied that she knew that ... because she still seems to have the joy in the Truth that has been systematically beaten out of me.
I miss the man I used to be.
A lot!
I did have a choice, however ... either "get with the program", or keep my self respect.
It has gotten better over the years, but only marginally, but I have endured things far, far worse that these things I have mentioned ... and I will endure things like this also.
When my Dad died, about ten years ago, he asked me to shave off my beard ...  he also never liked it .... and  I have been clean shaven since then.
I loved my Dad.
I HATE BULLIES!
I am 72 now, and in marginal health .... and can see the end of the "conveyor belt" on which I stand, and it bothers me.
I am too old and fragile to carry on my back bags of heavy stones for someone else's entertainment.
 
 
 
 

This is pretty sad. I think a lot of it had to do with the more Anglocentric makeup of the GB in past years. The motive of giving the appearance of unity is not a bad one. Our styles of dress reflect our unity of worship. It's nice to be able to drive through a neighborhood or even visit another city and recognize Witnesses from quite a distance away. But now, there is more concern for writing counsel that advises an entire world of customs. There is a need to generalize the counsel since every country gets the same counsel.
A lot of people think that Rutherford started the no-beard policy as a control measure to make sure that the Russellite cult was weeded out from among the Bible Students. My great grandfather was among the Chicago Bible Students who had many beard-growers because they thought so highly of Russell, who wore a beard. He was well-known in Russell's circle of associates, but would not have "advanced" under Rutherford if he did not cut his beard.

What's this about allowed/not allowed to have a beard? You can do what you want. You will just be limited in what privileges you get in some congregations. So it's up to you. Thankfully sisters don't have beard restrictions. A sister with a beard can still pioneer 😀

OMG, you two stop!

It's the future of TANNING !

You certainly do come out of your hole to prognosticate a lot.

"Would you chuck you children out on the streets to live like that" ?
As has been mention already on here, it's not that simple and there are always two sides to a story. Always.
99.9% of the time both sides have a choice. The parent has the right to set ground rules. He is not going to chuck anybody out just because of some trivial triviality or argument (unlike what I've seen in the world). Plus, it's illegal to toss out a minor, which in most civilized countries means no younger than 16/17y. In a JW household, in most cases, the young adult is given an ultimatum, and chooses to leave or stay on that basis. If they choose to leave, most immature young adults will call that "being chucked out".
Of course there is the occasional 15 year old that runs away, and also calls it being "chucked out"
 

Money is the catalyst that changes all people.
Especially as in the case of Prognosticators.
I avoided the movie for several decades, reasoning "I don't want to go see a movie about a fake prophet stupid groundhog !" ... but it is an adorable move, with a LOT of subtle, low key, but memorable comedy moments, and several important insights.
I have seen the movie "Groundhog day"  about four times.
It has helped make me the man I am today!
 

No. It is a must-avoid.
Actually, it is sort of cute. It is not a must-see, but it is a movie you would probably enjoy.
We have some good friends in that circuit, who tell us
A) that there is a congregation in Punxsutawney, and 
B) you never saw such a tacky place in your life, with every interest imaginable cashing in on the legend.

Turns out to be much more interesting than the premise. Also, I think it will help make sense of my post.

No, I didn't see the movie. Is it a must see?

What's this about allowed/not allowed to have a beard? You can do what you want. You will just be limited in what privileges you get in some congregations. So it's up to you. Thankfully sisters don't have beard restrictions. A sister with a beard can still pioneer 😀

Hope your wife isn't reading this!

What's this about allowed/not allowed to have a beard? You can do what you want. You will just be limited in what privileges you get in some congregations. So it's up to you. Thankfully sisters don't have beard restrictions. A sister with a beard can still pioneer 😀

*** it-1 p. 596 Death ***
Cause of Death in Humans. The first reference to death in the Scriptures occurs at Genesis 2:16, 17 in God’s command to the first man concerning the eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and bad, violation of which command would result in death. (See NW ftn.) However, death among animals as a natural process was evidently already in effect, since they are passed over completely in the Biblical presentation of the introduction of death into the human family. (Compare 2Pe 2:12.) The gravity of God’s warning about the death penalty for disobedience would therefore be understandable to his human son, Adam. Adam’s disobedience to his Creator brought death to him. (Ge 3:19; Jas 1:14, 15) Thereafter, Adam’s sin and its consequence, death, spread to all men.—Ro 5:12; 6:23.
 
(2 Peter 2:12) But these men, like unreasoning animals that act on instinct and are born to be caught and destroyed, speak abusively about things of which they are ignorant. They will suffer destruction brought on by their own destructive course,
 

Of course, there was that "God-damned" snake in the grass back in Eden. It was cursed to crawl on the ground and lick the dust with its [forked] tongue.
Then there were those pigs that allowed themselves to be possessed by demons, and were driven to commit suicide.
Certain animals might have listened to communication from God to be able to receive a name from Adam. The same could be said for the animals that listened to communication from God to get on Noah's ark. Or for ravens to find Elijah to bring him food. Or, perhaps even a big fish who nearly snacked on Jonah. And there's that special relationship between Jehovah and Leviathan and Behemoth.
God gives animals "meat in due season" (food at the proper time):
(Psalm 104:27) . . .All of them wait for you To give them their food in its season. And a donkey evidently saved a man's life by ascertaining an invisible angel.
On a serious note, I think most people agree that many persons have an unbalanced view of pets. But it's also easy to get unbalanced in the direction of disdaining pets and animals. Remember that Jehovah himself rejoices at his works which obviously includes his many interactions with animals according to the context of Psalm 104. 
(Psalm 104:28-31) . . .What you give them, they gather. When you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. 29 When you hide your face, they are disturbed. If you take away their spirit, they die and return to the dust. 30 If you send out your spirit, they are created, And you renew the surface of the ground. 31 The glory of Jehovah will last forever. Jehovah will rejoice in his works.

Things we have to learn about the animals:
Adam was in the garden several years before Eve was created.  He saw animals dying and knew about death. Therefore he understood what would happen if he disobeyed.  Why did Jehovah not give or promise everlasting life to animals although they did not sin?
Why did not Jesus die for animals? 
 
------
(Exodus 21:28-32) 28 “If a bull gores a man or a woman and that one dies, the bull must be stoned to death and its meat is not to be eaten; but the owner of the bull is free from punishment. 29 But if a bull was in the habit of goring and its owner had been warned but he would not keep it under guard and it killed a man or a woman, the bull is to be stoned and its owner is also to be put to death. 30 If a ransom is imposed on him, he must give as the redemption price for his life all that may be imposed on him. 31 Whether it gored a son or a daughter, it is to be done to the bull’s owner according to this judicial decision. 32 If the bull gored a slave man or a slave girl, he will give the price of 30 shekels to that one’s master, and the bull will be stoned to death.
(Accounting with animals? but judgement had to be executed by man. Bull will not stone itself to death.)

I am sure the speaker wouldn't argue with you on that. But the main point remains: animals were not created in God's image, whereas humans were.